Chemotherapy is rough, but you can make going through it a little easier.
Chemotherapy is a tough process for anyone to have to go through, and it can be hard to have to watch a loved one go through it. The treatment takes a huge toll on a person’s body, so if you know someone who is going through chemo, you could end up seeing them in the worst shape possible. Since chemotherapy uses really powerful drugs to kill fast growing cancer cells, it comes with many awful side effects that make a person feel bad overall. Someone going through chemotherapy will need as much rest as possible, along with some assistance to get by.
When someone is going through chemo, some common side effects will include pain, fatigue, loss of appetite, and bruising. This is going to be an ordeal for your loved one to go through each day, and this is where you come in. When someone in your life is going through chemotherapy, you can help make some things a bit easier for them. Help them get through each day by helping them out with whatever you can. You can make sure they get some much needed rest.
Gifts for someone going through chemotherapy
Chemotherapy has major impacts on the body, so when you’re looking for gifts for someone in this situation, go for things that can provide them some comfort. Your loved one will likely need to spend a lot of their time resting, so get them a gift that will make that process a good one for them. Any of the items on this list will make rest time enjoyable for a chemotherapy patient.
Snacks
Chemotherapy can really destroy a person’s appetite. The treatment itself will keep a person from wanting to eat the way they should. Some reasons for that are the nausea and fatigue that come with it. And since someone in this position won’t be in the mood for full meals all the time, snacks can help hold them over for a while each day. When someone doesn’t have much of an appetite, a snack might be all they need to satisfy themselves.
When choosing snacks for someone in the middle of chemotherapy, you should go with snacks that have some health value to them. That way your loved one can get some much needed nutrients in his body despite eating very little. Ideally, they will be eating some full meals, but that simply won’t be possible all the time. Make sure to offer some alternative snack options like pretzels, crackers, and popcorn.
Blanket
When someone is going through chemotherapy, they will end up spending a lot of time in bed because of the constant fatigue they will likely feel. When choosing a blanket for them, you should make sure that it’s as comfortable as it can be. You can go with a weighted blanket, heated blanket, or any regular soft blanket. Go with something that you yourself would love the thought of sinking down into. With a weighted blanket, the purpose is to provide stress relief by putting pressure on the body, with a heated blanket, the point is to plug it in to give off warmth. Sometimes those extras are great, and sometimes they aren’t necessary and a regular blanket works just fine.
When someone isn’t feeling well on a daily basis, they might feel the urge to rest when they are just about anywhere. Since they’ll be spending the most time at home, those resting spaces might end up being the playroom, the living room, or even the porch. Get them the type of blanket they will feel comfortable using anywhere. The more blankets they have available at any moment, the better. You can even make sure to get them a really fun blanket that will brighten up their space even during this tough time.
Streaming Service Subscription
When someone will be spending each day at their house for the foreseeable future, they will be really in need of some entertainment. This situation is the perfect recipe for boredom, and even if someone feels emotionally unwell, they are going to need something to distract them from all the downtime. A streaming service can keep someone entertained for a month or more, depending on how long you’d like to continue paying for it. You can get them a gift card worth a few months worth of television.
When you get someone a streaming service, make sure to get them one that they don’t already have access to. There are so many of them to choose from, just ask your friend which services they already subscribe to and go with something that isn’t on their list that has great options for viewing. You can go with Hulu, Paramount+, Netflix, Max, or another option.
Board Games
Board games are another thing that a chemo patient can use to distract themselves. This is the type of gift that you should make sure you are there for sometimes so that they have someone to play the game with. Look for the types of games that they can play on their own if possible, and also look for a game that they can enjoy playing with others. And then come over whenever you have some free time to play it with them!
It might sound difficult to find board games that can be played solo, but it is actually very possible. You can find several board games your friend can set up and play on their own at home whenever you aren’t around. Some single player board games include Mage Knight and Dune: Imperium.
Books
Books are great for entertainment when someone will be spending a lot of time alone in their home. A really good book can keep someone’s mind occupied for a while even while they are going through something rough. A single book can last a person for days, weeks, or even months depending on how often someone is reading. And books can be quite cheap, so you can easily provide lots of written entertainment for a very low price.
Ask your friend what types of books they like best and go looking for books that fit their criteria. Wherever you go to get books, you will have loads of options, whether you go to Barnes & Noble, Kindle Books, or a secondhand bookstore. Any bookstore you happen across will likely have all the genres you can hope to choose from. And you’ll have many different eras of books to choose from. Bestseller lists can also help to give you lots of ideas. It’s not a bad idea to go with books that are currently popular.
Pillow
Someone spending all their time in bed should have access to the softest pillows they can have. You can help them find just that. Make sure to get them the types of pillows that they can happily sink their heads into each night, and all day if they need to. Being in bed all day long can make people feel uncomfortable. Really soft pillows will make them feel better even when their bodies are tired of staying in bed.
There are many stores you can go to in order to get the softest pillows you can find. Since pillows are so small, you can get multiple and have them fit perfectly well on your loved one’s bed. It should be a pillow that will feel comfortable whether it’s under their legs, their head, or their back. However long they need to be in bed each day, these pillows should make it a good experience. You can also get them some great pillowcases for the pillows.
Slippers
Warm slippers are necessary for someone who will be spending all day in bed. They will need to get up from time to time, and for that they need really comfortable footwear. Someone going through chemotherapy is likely to be sensitive and deal with bruising, so they need a pair of slippers with thick and soft soles. That way they can easily walk over hard or cold floors without facing any issues.
Socks
A pair of warm socks will also be a helpful gift during this time. When someone is sick and feeling sensitive, they are likely to get cold more easily than the average person. Socks will keep their feet warm while they are lying in bed and will also keep their feet warm whenever they step on the ground for a second before stepping into their slippers.
Bathrobe
A bathrobe will keep a chemo patient warm and comfortable while they relax around the home all day. A bathrobe will make everything more comfortable. Whether someone is lying on their couch or sitting in the kitchen, a robe will be keep them warm. A thick and fluffy bathrobe can make a great replacement for every outfit. Extended stays at home are more comfortable when one doesn’t have to wear outside clothes.
Pajamas
A pair of pajamas will be a good outfit to accommodate lots of lounging. Sleeping is one of the activities they will be doing the most right now. A pajama set will make a really good gift. Look for something roomy and soft so that it feels good against their skin while they move around. Find a pair of pajamas with fun patterns on them that anyone you give it to will love.
Skin care
Someone going through chemotherapy will benefit from some really good skin care. Chemotherapy gives a person extremely dry skin, so they will need some moisturizing lotion to fix things. Make sure to get him a bottle of really moisturizing lotion that they can use daily. It should also be either unscented or mild because of their sensitive skin and sense of smell.
Lip Balm
Lip balm will help them out whenever their lips are chapped. That way their lips won’t end up cracking throughout the day.
Meal Train
When someone is going through chemotherapy, their appetite and energy levels can get in the way of them feeding themselves. Chemotherapy makes people feel weak and fatigued. On top of that, the loss of appetite will make it difficult for themselves to prepare meals. It would be really helpful for you to take over this responsibility. This means you can guarantee they will be getting all the nutrients they need on a regular basis. This is why you should use Give InKind to set up a meal train.
A meal train is a support effort for when someone in your life isn’t able to prepare food for themselves. To set up a meal train you will need to get a few friends or family together to help you. You will get together to prepare and deliver meals to someone you all care about and want to help. Someone going through chemotherapy will need light and nutritious foods. They need all the nutrients they can get and they need in light packages so they can hold it down. Soup is always a good option for someone without much of an appetite.
Super Power Your Meal Train with Give InKind
Give InKind will be there to help you through every part of the process when you set up a meal train through their website. They are always available with just a few clicks whenever you need this kind of assistance. They have everything you need on their website. You can create an InKind Page for someone in only five minutes. Write down some of your loved ones favorite meals there and get to work on making them. Helpers just select a meal and then decide how it will be delivered. They can choose to make and deliver it themselves. They can have it delivered by a restaurant on GrubHub. Or they can pay for a gift card from a specific restaurant or delivery service.
Going through chemotherapy is an extremely difficult process that makes a big change to someone’s life. It can be painful to watch someone you love go through that. These are a few things you can do to make it better for them. Consider using Give InKind to coordinate and organize an entire wave of support and gifts from your whole community.
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